A framed Photo of Monty
by Empty Pen09
Summary: The NCIS OSP team ponders the meaning when a photo of Deek's beloved pet Monte suddenly appears on Kensi Blye's desk.


Eric and Nell:

The first thing Eric Beale noticed was the framed photo of Marty Deek's mangy dog Monty on Kensi Blye's desk. It was a small thing, at least it should have been, but for a hardened woman like Kensi it was a flashing neon sign. Kensi usually kept her desk a mess, papers strewn everywhere, half empty coffee cups dangerously close to spilling. It was amazing she was ever able to find anything on it. Today however Eric had come in and glanced a photo in a silver frame. His breath caught in his throat when he imagined who the photo could possibly be of. Surely not Deeks. Kensi would never be so reckless? Would she? His body relaxed when he saw it was only Monty the dog, but her having placed the photo in a position of prominence on her otherwise cluttered desk still managed to say loads about her head space.

Nell slid up beside him and elbowed him gently in the ribs. "Stop looking at it. It's just a photo."

"It's different. People are going to notice," Eric said not bothering to hide his nervousness.

"You don't think they already have? You don't think everyone hasn't already noticed? It's the talk of the office." Nell chuckled. "Of course everyone noticed Eric but nobody's asking about it. From what I hear Kensi was pretty serious and straight laced before Deeks showed up. They say she's almost a different person. They like this Kensi."

Eric had thought Kensi was a bit of a hard ass when he first met her himself. She didn't smile, called him Beale, and refused to engage in any sort of small talk. It had taken Deeks to show up before she softened up and soon after he learned that the woman had a classic comic book collection that dwarfed his own. The first time they spoke about the Silver Surfer Eric knew something inside the woman had changed.

"She WAS a different person, and now she has a picture of Deeks' dog on her desk. You don't think people will wonder what that means?"

Nell shrugged. "No. Everybody knows what it means but we're polite enough not to ask. When Hetty saw it this morning she commented on Monty's lustrous looking coat. If she doesn't ask them what it means, nobody else will either."

Eric nodded, defeated. "It's just weird. Why Monty?"

"What is she supposed to do, put a picture of Deeks on her desk? Are they supposed to take a picture in matching Christmas sweaters and put them in identical frames on their desks at work? This is a compromise Eric. It's her compromise."

"Well why put anything on her desk in the first place? It seems like drawing unnecessary attention."

Nell leaned into him and whispered slightly. "Why did I leave a go bag in your closet? Why did you give me a key to your apartment? Why did I introduce you to my parents? It's an important step in a relationship Eric. Their steps don't look like ours but that doesn't mean they aren't important to them.

Eric rolled his eyes. "Fine. Point taken."

"Hetty's looking for you in OPS."

* * *

><p>Callen and Sam:<p>

"If I know those two its code for something," Sam said as he made himself comfortable behind the wheel of his black Dodge Challenger. Sam never considered himself much of a gossip but the entire office was buzzing about Kensi's new picture of Monty the dog.

"It's not a code. It's a picture of a dog. Deek's dog, which through extension is Kensi's dog too. Like your family is my extended family."

Sam laughed. "And it would be incredibly weird for you to put a framed photo of MY family on YOUR desk."

Callen only laughed. "True, but it's different for those two. They're partners in every sense of the word. They know each other in a way that we surely never will."

"Thank god," Sam said dryly.

"I'll have you know I'm very gentle," Callen teased causing Sam's face to scrunch up with disgust.

"I'm just saying it's some sort of code, we just haven't deciphered it yet."

Callen disagreed. "That's not a code. 730. That's a code."

It had taken Sam and Callen all of a minute to break the 730 code. It was clever but incredibly obvious to anyone who took an interest in figuring it out. The first time they'd used the code Sam hadn't thought twice about it. Hetty had sent Deeks off on a top secret mission for Granger and on his way out the door to parts unknown Kensi had curiously asked where he was going. Deeks had replied that he had errands to run. When Kensi questioned what errands he simply smiled and told her that he'd left seven dollars and thirty cents in her desk for lunch. Kensi's questions stopped immediately and Deeks left without as much as another word. Kensi didn't call him or ask about him for the rest of the day. Sam had watched the interaction but hadn't thought about it until Callen mentioned a similar interaction a month or so later.

According to Callen Kensi canceled their weekend trip to the beach because she had to fly to Chicago for Hetty. Neither Hetty, or Kensi, explained why Kensi had to leave town, apparently the mission was top secret. Even stranger, according to Callen was that when Kensi explained to Deeks that she wouldn't be around she told him that she had to catch a 7:30 flight to Chicago. Callen had seen the ticket, the flight was scheduled to leave at 4:17pm, not 7:30. Deeks had nodded, instructed her to have a nice trip and didn't call her or speak about her until she returned to work on Monday morning.

When Callen told the story Sam finally put the pieces together in his mind and he and Callen came to the conclusion that 730 was code for something. A few minutes of spit balling things and they'd all but cracked it. 730 meant one of them was doing something work related that they couldn't talk about so the other had to stop asking questions.

Callen had been impressed with how simple yet effective it was. Their job would always be rife with things they couldn't discuss with one another. It was imperative that they be able to trust one another without their personal partnership getting in the way of the professional one. The code was incredibly useful. Sam was less impressed, but even he couldn't deny how practical something like that was given their unique set of circumstances.

"730 is different," Sam explained. "730 is useful so they can still do their jobs without other stuff making things all messy. It's a mature way to handle a complicated situation. Either of them can say one thing that immediately explains everything without them having to actually explain anything at all. 730 is good partnership. The picture of Monty isn't that."

Callen only shrugged. "Maybe your right, maybe it's not professional code."

Sam nodded with confidence. "Of course I'm right. It's personal code for we're together now. Or we're moving in together, or we're exclusive. Monty is an avatar for Deeks."

All Callen could do was shrug. "Maybe you're right."

Sam nodded again. "Of course I'm right.

* * *

><p>Kensi and Deeks:<p>

"Don't blame me, you're the one with the shy bladder," Kensi said as she stepped through the doors of the office. "Most guys would have just found a tree, or a bush. You're the one who made us drive four miles out of the way so you can find a urinal."

"I'm sorry I can't just forget a lifetime of domesticity Jane of the jungle."

"I'm just saying Deeks. If you gotta go, go."

"If you would have let me drive we could have made up the time."

Kensi shook her head. "No way. You drive like a maniac. Then you get pulled over and flash that shiny badge and get out of it. No. It's an abuse of power."

Deeks scoffed. "What good is having a badge if you can't use it to get out of speeding tickets? Or cut to the front of long lines. Besides, I always give my card to one lucky bystander to use as leverage with the cops."

Kensi laughed. "Yeah, and how strange that it always happens to be a pretty blonde showing tons of cleavage."

"Total coincidence," Deeks said as they walked the short path to their desks. His smile faded almost instantly when he saw the photo on his partner's desk.

"What the," he asked stopping himself before actually asking the question.

Kensi's eyes followed his to the silver framed photo of Monty on her desk. "What the hell is Monty doing on my desk Deeks?"

Deeks shrugged. "I didn't put him there. Monty is always positioned in a place of prominence on the right hand corner of MY desk."

Kensi gave the room a careful look. Nobody was paying them any attention but she didn't imagine they would. They never did.

"Well put him back before someone notices," Kensi said eagerly.

"Who's going to notice? It's a picture. Of Monty. It's not like it's me and you on a beach in a loving embrace. Nobody notices stuff like this."

Kensi eyed the room carefully. "Who moved it? Why would they move it?"

"Probably Sam or Callen. They're messing with us. Don't even sweat it. I'll put it back and we don't even bother to bring it up. It's one of their mind games. They're testing us or something. If we freak out and make it into a thing we fail." Deeks took a few steps towards Kensi's desk and reached for the photo before she grabbed his wrist.

"So maybe we don't even move it. Maybe we leave it there. When they come and see that we haven't moved it," she was saying.

"Then we put THEM on the defensive," Deeks continued for her. "Shrewd move my lady. Shrewd move."

Kensi looked down at the photo of Monty. "Amateur hour. Trying to freak me out with a picture of THAT adorable face. Hell I should have a picture of him on MY desk anyway. He's practically MY dog."

Deeks smiled. "Monty definitely loves you. He doesn't even mind your snoring."

Kensi's face morphed into one of horror. "I do NOT snore."

"It's okay. Your bed hogging. Piglet snoring. Refusal to clean. It's all fine with Monty. He's the most laid back pooch in the world."

"If he complains I'll just cancel his NPR subscription," she said with a snort.

Deeks laughed and made his way to his desk, ready to start his day. He didn't notice his boss Assistant Director Owen Granger standing in the upper deck of the building watching the interaction unfold with amusement.

* * *

><p>Granger and Hetty:<p>

"Having fun Owen?" the voice asked softly and he knew immediately that he'd been caught.

"I am thank you," Granger said with a smirk. "I don't understand for the life of me what they see in one another but they always find a way to make each other laugh."

Hetty shrugged. "Finding someone who loves you despite your flaws and who happens to make you smile also, sounds like a near perfect relationship to me Owen. Not to mention they never have to explain their work to anyone, they don't have to lie to one another."

Granger nodded along. "They do have to lie to us. Dating is against regulations."

"Most covert units encourage their agents to date each other. The CIA for example. It's less messy that way. Everyone understands the rules."

"We aren't exactly the CIA Henrietta. On the other hand I don't have a problem with it. As long as it doesn't become a problem and it does appear they've worked out the logistics. 730, for example."

Hetty arched an eyebrow. "730 indeed. On a visit to Washington I ran across an old colleague who had a couple of agents in a similar situation. He was concerned the secretive nature of their work would interfere with their personal life, or vice versa. I told him he had options. Transfer one or both agents. But he assured me that given the choice of picking the relationship or the job they'd both likely pick the relationship. So I told him to sit them down and have a frank conversation. Off the record of course. And then I shared the 730 anecdote. He laughed at its simplicity but he called me a few days ago and told me that it did in fact solve his problem."

Granger laughed. "Of course it did. When two people are meant to be together they solve problems like this quickly."

"They do indeed."

"Not to mention studies show most people meet their eventual spouses through either social interactions or through work. Our agents have little time to socialize so," he said before shoving both hands in his pockets.

"I'm keeping close watch on them. If it becomes a problem at all I'll intervene."

Granger nodded. "I know. If I had a time machine there's an old colleague I'd have made more of an effort with myself. But like I always tell you our work is important but nobody should have to go through this life alone."

Hetty only nodded. "We all have that regret Owen. All of us who after decorated and distinguished careers find ourselves all of a sudden facing retirement alone."

Granger turned to walk away. "What's an elder for if not to keep you from making the same foolish decisions they made at that age Henrietta? They put a lot on the line for us, everyday. We owe it to them to look the other way every once in a while. And if you tell them I said that I'll transfer Blye to the Montana field office. "

"Mr. Deeks would likely quit the LAPD and move to Montana also Owen."

Granger looked over his shoulder and smirked. "And I'd call my cousin who is Chief of Police near our office down there and give him a glowing recommendation."

"Best to just stick to moving Mr. Deeks' photo of Monty onto Ms. Blye's desk. That's caused quite the stir already Owen."

Granger's smirk widened but he didn't speak as he walked away.

**Went back and fixed all the Monte's and made them Monty since that seemed to annoy everyone. BTW I love the response to this fic, I ship Densi so badly and wanted to share this with the world!**


End file.
